As rising food costs and a fraught economy make dining out increasingly expensive, one North Carolina restaurant is drawing fire for a controversial surcharge.
STATS, a sports bar in Charlotte, allegedly charged a customer $6 to take her leftovers home.
The outraged customer, known to the internet as Millionaire Mace, posted a picture of her receipt to Threads last week with the caption, “I’m calling the police…this should be a CRIMEEEEE!”
The receipt listed charges for a $28 Cajun Alfredo meal, a $1.02 service fee, $5.10 gratuity, $3.15 tax — and a dubious $6.00 charge for a to-go box, listed under the price of her meal.
“Y’all… they said because it’s a special on the pasta you have to pay to take it to go. Shaking my head,” she explained.
Unsurprisingly, the comments section was flooded with supporters who shared her righteous indignation.
“Is it glass Tupperware they gave you?” one facetiously questioned.
“$6 for a TO-GO BOX TO TAKE MY FOOD I ALREADY PAID FOR ?!?!? Thanks, I’ll shove it in my a–,” another eloquently responded.
“We gotta stop supporting businesses like this. They need to fail for real,” decreed another.
“To Go Box?!?! I would’ve asked the manager to go box,” deadpanned a commenter.
“Paying DoorDash prices inside the restaurant is insane,” surmised another.
Mace clarified that her rage wasn’t about the price of the food, but the upcharge for leftovers.
“I think some people are confused… I don’t care about the price of the food. I frequent STATS. I know the pasta is always $30… the issue was the charge for a box,” she expounded.
“I did not go in there with the intention of getting a to-go meal at a cheaper price.”
Mace went on to say that she and the group of four she was dining with sat at a table, shared a bottle, purchased shots, and paid for hookah during their night out.
“I did not finish my pasta. Because I didn’t finish my pasta, I got charged for a box or regular price, however you want to look at it. God forbid a girl gets full.”
In the fallout of the internet indigestion, STATS posted a statement on its Instagram account defending the virtue of its business and its box policy.
“For more than nine years, STATS has provided quality food, service, and entertainment to our community. As part of that commitment, we want to clarify social media posts about our dine-in policy and Wednesday pasta promotion,” the restaurant wrote, explaining that the restaurant offers half-price pasta exclusively for dine-in guests every Wednesday.
Curiously, on the STATS website, the price of the Cajun Alfredo is listed at $14, with the optional upcharge of Veggies $3, Chicken $7, Shrimp $8, Salmon $9, Deep Fried Salmon $10, and Lamb Chops for $18.
It is unclear what upgrade Mace made and what, if any, promotional discount was applied.
“This promotion is designed to provide a special experience for guests enjoying their meals inside our establishment,” they continued.
“However, if guests order dine-in promotional items for carry-out, the meal is adjusted to its regular price. In this case, the additional $6 was not a charge for a to-go container, but a computer adjustment to that original price,” it read.
“We understand the importance of clear communication, and we will adjust our systems to ensure itemized receipts more accurately reflect any price adjustments.”
STATS maintained that it was committed to “clearly explaining” both “gratuity and promotional guidelines to guests.”
However, the question remains: why would Mace be considered to be using the takeout option when she was a dine-in customer who didn’t finish her pasta?
“We thank you again for your patronage, and we look forward to continuing to serve the Charlotte community,” it concluded.
Ostensibly anticipating a backlash, STATS disabled commenting on the post.
